October 26, 2012

For about a year, a White Plains man who goes by the fitting moniker “Dirtman” has been operating an illegal landfill on two residential properties that he owns in Putnam County. Now, he’s going to jail.

“Dirtman,” a.k.a. Anothony Adinolfi, pleaded guilty yesterday to a felony charge of operating an unpermitted solid waste management facility. He’s been sentenced to four months in Putnam County jail.

Under state law, you can’t just go and dump your garbage on residential property. Especially when said garbage consists of coal ash and slag, and the property is located near a county reservoir.

According to the New York State Attorney General’s Office, the
properties “Dirtman” transformed into makeshift garbage dumps were in
close proximity to the Croton Falls Reservoir, where some of the eroded
garbage from “Dirtman’s” dumps ended up.

Some of the waste that
found its way into the reservoir were the aforementioned coal ash and
slag, as well as other known carcinogens.

But the polluted
reservoir was no skin off “Dirtman’s” ass — as the reservoir was
getting polluted by his illegal landfill, “Dirtman” was raking in the cash.

“Dirtman,” the A.G.’s Office says, was charging $75 per truck load for dumping privileges at his faux-landfill. Between
2010 and 2011, bank records show that “Dirtman” — through his company Dirtman Enterprises Inc. —
earned over $300,000 from operating the illegal landfills.

“Jeopardizing
New Yorkers’ drinking water by dumping contaminated waste into illegal
landfills is deplorable. There is no excuse for this kind of misconduct
and this individual is going to jail for committing these crimes,”
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says. “Our office will continue to
prosecute environmental criminals who put the health and safety of New
Yorkers at risk to make a profit.”

In addition to the four months in jail, “Dirtman” also was sentenced
to five years probation, and will be required to pay a $7,500 fine.